Barb for fences



(No Model.)

J. B. OLIVER.

BARB FUR FENCES.

Patented Oct. 2, 1883..

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N. FETERs, bate-Lithographer. WnsMnginn. n c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. OLIVER, OF PITTSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS B. KERR, OF J ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BARB FOR FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,147, dated October 2, 1883.

Application filed May 14, 185*3. (No model.)

To all whom, it 77mg concern:

Be it known that I, James 13. Orivnn, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Barbs for Fences and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved flat-wire or sheet-metalbarb. Fig. 2 is a View of the blank before the points are bent. Fig. 3 is a view of a piece of flat metal or strip from which the barbs are cut, the line of out being indicated by broken lines thereon. Fig. 4 is a view of a piece of barb fence wire provided with my improved barb. Fig. 5 is a section at w a, Fig. 4.

My invention consists of a flat metal barb having ribs extending across the same on one or both sides.

In making these barbs I take a suitable strip of metal, a, such as is shown in Fig. 3, having ribs (1/, extending longitudinally in one or both of its faces. This strip is fed into a cutting-machine, which cuts it into blanks of the form shown in Fig. 2, and at the same time slits the barbs to form the points, and bends the points a in the required direction.

This barb may be applied to a metallic fence-rail composed of wire or a strip or strips of any desired form. In Fig. 4 I show it ap plied to a fence-rail composed of two wire strands.

The advantages of my improvement are that the barbs will be held in place from dislodgment by the projecting lateral ribs a It sometimes happens that the wire strands which encircle the barbs are not twisted tight enough to hold the latter in place, and they become dislodged and lost, which destroys the value of the fence. Thisis especially the case where the barbs are applied in straight form, as shown at Z) in Fig. 4-, where it will be noticed that the ribs a abut against the sides of one of the strand-wires c. The presence of the ribs also enables me to make a barb stronger than the plain flat barb, with the same amount of material, and also, as the ribs occur at or near the points (6, they prevent the too deep penetration of the latter into an animal encountering the same, while they are sufficiently sharp to give the required warning. Thisfeatnre is desirable, because animals are often lacerated and som eti mes seriously injured by very sharp barbs. The'ribs near the mid (lle of the barb afford grooves or recesses for receiving the strandavires and make the barbs easy of application, as well as secure them firmly when applied to the wire.

I am aware that barbs have been madehaving a transverse groove formed on the face thereof, so as to secure them more firmlyto the wire strand. This groove, however, would not accomplish the end and purpose of my in vention, as the barb is weakened instead of strengthened, and the groove does not afford a stop to the penetration of the barb, it being placed only at the point where the barb is inclosed by the strands.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A fiat metal barb having lateral. ribs c.\' tending across the face of the same between the point of contact of the barb with the strands and the point of the barb, whereby the barb is. held in place between the strands, and

the end ribs form stops to the penetration of the barb, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of May, A. l). 1883.

JAMES B. ()Ll YER. XVitnesses:

(lirrorms J. Gunman, W. B. ()onwrn. 

